What the government and the Education Ministry are resorting to is re-branding; why is there a need for blueprint? Is it an acknowledgement that our education system is a failure? An effective, practical blueprint is right across the straits. If u can follow those of what works, it would have been commendable. Just study our neighbour’s system carefully and adopt their best practices, soon u can achieve equivalent results.

Two major things need to be done to ensure our Education systems stay relevant and equally competitive globally. First, start a series of post-mortem studying the whole assessment grades of the Malaysian Examination Syndicate. Look at the grades of our public exams, they get better each year and more students score straight A’s. Is the Examination Syndicate willing to face reality and grade the public exams according to merit? In short public examination grades are not gifts where anyone can give it in favour of a particular clan or group for their Political gain.

Secondly allow PPSMI (Teaching of Mathematics and Science in English) to continue with the option for teaching of Science and Mathematics to be taught in Mandarin and Tamil especially for rural schools. It would be good to take into total consideration of the memorandum submitted by the ex-principal of Victoria Institution Mr. Murugasu. He has recommended that English medium of instruction as well as equity in the composition of all students, staffs, teachers, Headmasters and Ministry officials in terms of racial balance. I also recommend that English literature be brought back in schools. As there are Students who deserve straight A’s, but then again there are more who do not deserve them.

Choose quality candidates, DAP urged

Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran says a DAP candidate must not be a bankrupt, an alcoholic or a drug addict, or be involved in scandal or vices.

GEORGE TOWN: A DAP parliamentarian today called on the party to field only candidates with the highest integrity, dignity and capability in the next general election.

Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran said only candidates of these qualities would not be vulnerable to enticement and turn into political frogs after being elected as state representatives or MPs.

He said a DAP candidate must not be a bankrupt, an alcoholic or a drug addict, and must not have a criminal record, or be involved in scandal or vices.

In the fast-emerging new political culture in the country, he said the ever-demanding voters were now insisting on candidates of highest integrity and dignity.

He said the party must vet candidates thoroughly to make sure they have a clean background before nominating them for seats.

“Tainted characters should never be [picked as] candidates. Candidates should not betray the party’s trust and the people’s mandate,” he told FMT here today.

He indicated that lack of integrity and dignity were the main reasons for the defections of DAP state representatives in Perak – Hee Yit Fong of Jelapang in 2009 and Keshvinder Singh of Malim Nawar in 2010.

Hee’s defection in particular was a bitter pill to swallow as it caused the downfall of the infant 11-month-old Pakatan Rakyat government in the silver state.

Manogaran said the party should also seriously consider candidates selected by party branches since grassroots sentiments would reflect sentiments of the public.

He is particularly concerned about the quality of DAP’s ethnic Indian candidates in the next election.

He claimed that the community had been let down, shortchanged and betrayed by lack of quality Indian political representatives and leaders over the years.

This time, he said the DAP’s ethnic Indian candidates should have high qualities and a strong political conviction to work with and for the betterment of the community, especially the marginalised group.

“Indian representatives must also respect the people who voted them in,” said Manogaran